Wellwritten Stories Come in Small Packages
by limping llama
Summary: Latest: Hamsters
1. Like Father, Like Son

**For those who do not know me, I am Ballet Reader. I go by many other names, but most call me Ballet.**

**This is an entry for Another Artist's "A Little is a Lot" challenge. **

**Posted: May 24, 2011**

**It has 484 words.****  
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**This first drabble centers around Arthur.**

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><p><em>Like Father, Like Son<em>

"Daddy, look at the book I just read with Mommy!"

Arthur turned around. His adorable daughter held a chapter book in one hand and her mother's hand in the other. Hope was grinning like mad.

"She inherited your reading skills, huh?" asked Arthur, grinning at Hope. Her jade eyes sparkled against her creamy white skin.

"Apparently so," she said. "I couldn't be more proud." The two walked away, their red hair swinging across their shoulders.

Arthur felt a small hand tug on his pants leg. Looking down, he found Dan with a black pen and a paper pad. Arthur felt himself grin.

"I've found myself someone to be proud of."

_He didn't know how much that simple conversation would affect him._

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><p>Arthur chuckled as he watched Dan try to hold the pen. He was so eager and bright. After walking over to his son, he sat down, pulling the piece of brightly colored paper towards him. On the surface was a mess of numbers and shapes. Already, Dan was learning to use math.<p>

"Like father, like son," Hope had said with a sigh when she saw them. They had laughed it off, but Arthur realized that it was true. They had the same shaggy dark blond hair that fell into their eyes. The love of numbers was apparent in both of them. But was it true?

Arthur just smiled as he watched little Dan's face screw up in concentration.

_He thought nothing of this comment until three months later._

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><p>A small hand held the pencil firmly as it danced across the paper. The mess of numbers revealed the problem that Amy had so much trouble with only a year ago. It was solved.<p>

"Great, Danny!" exclaimed Arthur. He was amazed at the progress Dan was making. Despite the stains Dan's pen had left on the floor, he was immensely proud of his accomplishments. Grinning, he held the paper up.

Dan let out a yawn. His ink-splattered hands rubbed his green eyes. Smiling gently, Arthur picked him up and carried him to bed.

_He had no idea of the impending disaster._

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><p>The doorbell rang. His eyes looked up from the paper Dan had so pain-stakingly written on. With a frown on her face, Hope walked towards the door. The neon-colored strips of paper were quickly shoved into a desk.<p>

_He wished they could have avoided this._

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><p><em><strong>Sharpies and sticky-notes made up our last memories<strong>__,_ Arthur reminisced. The moments of fun- yet serious- games had been Dan's last memories. The comment Hope had given him long ago ran through his mind. _Like father, like son._

He looked at his wife's beautiful face one more time; her red hair looked like the flames behind her. He squeezed her delicate hand. As he saw the flames reaching closer, he saw Dan's laughing, smiling face. And a sharpie.

_Like father, like son._

Would his son end up like him?

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed this drabble. I at least hope that this wasn't considered a total waste of time.<strong>

**Despite this being part of a contest, I hope that you will review. Just because you aren't my friend or I haven't reviewed any of your stories doesn't mean that you shouldn't review.**

**So, review.**

**-BR (NSP)  
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	2. A Simple Mistake

**A Simple Mistake**

**by Ballet Reader**

**Amy and Dan are training- Madrigal training, that is. After _Vespers Rising._**

**502 words  
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><p>Dan Cahill flopped onto a huge black couch. He nestled his body into the leather skin and tried to relax. He couldn't wait to <em>not <em> train for once. Unfortunately, he could not.

"Daniel Cahill! It's time for your lessons!" A muscular woman marched into the room, her footsteps like thunder. Her black hair was short, military style. Her dark skin went well with her army uniform. In fact, her whole presence was military-like.

Dan groaned and attempted to run away. Sadly, the woman grabbed his collar and dragged him away. _This is torture, _he thought while his feet skimmed the polished wood floor. The woman dragged him down the long hallway to a black door. After putting her eye against the eye scanner, she opened the door with a _click._

Amy snickered as Dan was pushed into the room. The room resembled a very advanced gym with weights, mats, and sports equipment. It was actually their training room- for Madrigal training, that is.

"Listen up!" shouted the large woman. "Our exercise for the day is to find a lost agent in this house that is hiding. He is being held captive by Vespers, hypothetically. Understand?" She trained her dark eyes on the two.

Amy tentatively answered, "Yes." She bit her lip apprehensively.

Dan frowned. **"How can you find someone who was never lost to begin with?" he demanded.**

The woman glared at him. "That's beside the point! Now, go!"

"But, wait-" said Amy. She was ignored and pushed into the hall along with Dan. Her reddish-brown ponytail flew up and down like a bird's wings.

Dan slid against the wall to plop down on the hard wooden floor. "Man, I have no idea how to do this!" he shouted. "Where do we begin?"

Amy bit her lip. She seemed to be deep in thought. "Well, we could begin in the Madrigal wing," she replied. "They keep people and stuff there, don't they?"

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><p>Four hours later, the two had scoured the house from top to bottom. Each of the seven floors' numerous rooms had been thoroughly searched, even the bathrooms.<p>

"Where is the stupid "lost agent"?" Dan yelled in frustration. He punched a wall to release his anger.

"Ow!" he yelped. His knuckles were bright red. Amy snorted.

"Great job, Danny," she said. Dan shot her a piercing glare.

"We might as well head back to the training room," he said with a sigh. He rubbed his knuckles, which were already turning blue.

The two trudged back to the room. Failure was depressing.

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><p>The large woman was waiting for them in the room. Her arms were crossed across her chest. Nothing but anger was on her face. Dan gulped nervously.<p>

"We couldn't find the agent, ma'am," Dan said. He hung his head, waiting for punishment.

The terrifying woman snorted. "Are you kidding me, boy? The agent was in this room the entire time!"

Dan and Amy shared an incredulous look. Their entire body was covered in sweat, and their bodies ached.

"Oh, c'mon!"

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><p><strong>What do you think? I attempted a more simple and humorous drabble, compared to my previous one. :P It was a bit oddly paced, though. I guess it wasn't that bad. Maybe.<strong>

**Thank you for the reviews and favorites, everybody! :) You guys are awesome!**

**Reviewing is absolutely lovely.**

**-BR (NSP)  
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	3. Chapter 3: Mission Accomplished

**I am extremely sorry for this terribly belated drabble. Hopefully, you'll be nice enough not to kill me and instead severely maim me? No? **

**Be warned- this drabble is terrible.**

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><p><strong><strong>Mission Accomplished<strong>**

**/After the last drabble\ /starring a Cobra and a Wizard\  
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**Word count- 497**

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><p>It hadn't been a good day, to say the very least. The maid had forgotten to iron my shirt, Natalie had raged at me for "scuffing her brand new Stuart Weitzman heels", and I was standing in front of America's resident hip-hop rapper.<p>

I placed myself in a flashy gold armchair that matched the rest of the Wizard mansion. I leaned forward and asked, "Have you thought about my proposition?"

The teenager in front of me scratched his chin, his leather jacket blending in with the leather sofa he was lounging on. Flashing me a quick smile, he answered with one simple word.

"Nope."

I could almost feel the laser beams shooting from my eyes. The boy yawned.

"Why not, you cocky clot? I asked you about this weeks ago!"

"I have more important things to do, mainly doing my own job."

"I'm sure your so-called "job" is working out, even with your sad excuse of a leg," I said smugly. "What shall it be, Wizard?"  
><strong><br>He ignored my question and asked, "What kind of cereal do you prefer: Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Pops?"**

Shock radiated through me as he casually wiped his shades on his shirt.

"Excuse me? What does Cinnamon Pop Crunch-"

"It's Cinnamon Toast Crunch," he interrupted.

I glared at him. This teen just didn't know when to stop, did he? Janus with their complete lack of manners...

"Well? Are you gonna answer my question?"

I glared at him and mumbled, "I don't know what that is."

He jumped out of seat, eyes wide. "Y-you don't know about the wonders of cereal?" He continued to gape at me, giving me a rather unwanted view of his tonsils.

With a roll of my eyes, I said, "Do you expect me to eat that disgusting cardboard people call breakfast? I've already disgraced myself by drinking coffee from Starbucks."

"B-but Starbucks is awesome!" he managed to say. He looked like the ideal stupid American with his jeans low and a striking resemblance to a confused pig. _He was so easy to fool._

I snorted as I picked off a microscopic piece of lint off of my dress pants. It was a waste of time, sitting around with an incompetent "gangster". After picking up my leather Gucci suitcase, I stood.

"Well, I must be off now," I said smoothly. _I knew I had him now._

My shoes made a soft thumping sound on the carpeted floor as I walked towards the door. As I made to grasp the door knob, a loud voice rang through the air.

"Wait, Kabra!" I heard the loud thuds of a boot and crutches.

I spun around, a satisfied smirk plastered in my face. I looked at him expectantly.

The Wizard stowed away his pride and gulped. "I was thinking about um, you know, branch unity and stuff, and I was wondering if we could grab some cereal and um, steal a Picasso."

_Mission accomplished._

At least one thing went my way today.

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><p><strong>I think this one sounds awkward. The idea, I like, but I don't like this one at all. Plus, it's short. Then again, all of my stories are short. Sometimes, I really do detest myself, along with people that never finish eating ice cream and <em>throw it away<em>. Ghastly, I know.  
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**Fabulous people review. :D**

**-BR (NSP)  
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	4. Chapter 4: Hamsters

**Hamsters**

The girl looked in wonder at the small, furry organisms that were running around in a sad excuse of a cage. Despite the stench and the small flecks of wood that flew towards the young girl's face, she remained where she was. After what looked like a mental conversation within herself, her hand extended out, unfastening the flimsy metal latch. Stubby fingers grabbed at the orange fur-ball with the intent of capturing it. The attempt failed.

_Oh, snap. Come back, hammy!_

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><p>The young boy stood a good distance away from the small cage, unlike his classmates. His nose was wrinkled in disgust as he watched the flea-bags his friends called "hamsters" chase each other. Shaking his head at the squeals of his classmates, he walked away from them, thinking instead about the horse he was supposed to be getting that day.<br>_  
>I wonder if they realize that all they do is run around in circles all day.<em>

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><p>A young girl hopped up and down on her feet, trying to see the famed class pet between her fellow classmates' heads. When she finally got to see the minuscule bundle of fur, her face softened into an expression of delight. She stood there until her teacher yelled for her class to get to order. Throughout class, she glanced at the frolicking pet, wishing it was hers.<p>

_If only I had one of my own, I would be so happy._

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><p>The boy gawked at the soft, orange creatures that ran around in the mess of their own cage. To the normal observer, this boy would simply be a boy looking in fascination. But if one knew the boy at all, they could practically see the gears moving in the young boy's head, calculating the rate at which each of the hamsters' feet covered a millimeter. However, a rather buff boy knocked into him, smashing his face against the thin metal bars. He stood up straight, looking at the cage in disgust.<p>

_I wonder if I can do this to Ted..._

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><p>A young boy nervously watched as an eccentric artist grabbed the hamster in one hand and a blue paint-covered brush in the other. Gulping, he watched the hamster squeal as the artist practically suffocated it. Just as the oddball had his paintbrush right above the squeamish creature's small head, it bit into the paint-covered hand. The boy snickered as the "grown-up" male artist squealed like a little girl and dropped the hamster.<p>

_I wonder what my mom's gonna say 'bout this…_

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><p>Hamsters are a bit more complex than you would think.<p>

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><p><strong>Yes, the contest is over. Yes, Amy has left. Yes, I am still a terrible writer.<strong>

**But I've decided to publish all of the drabbles as sort of a present to Amy. And as a eye-burn for the rest of you.**

**My apologies to the people that have actually missed me for this long period of my absence. (I mean, you probably haven't missed me, but who knows?)**

**I hope you review.**

**-Ballet**

**(Who am I kidding? You better review, or I'll whack Dan with a nunchuck.)**


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